Buddy Valastro's 4 Kids Are Growing Up Fast

It's not every kid in the world who can brag about being descendants of the one and only Cake Boss. In fact, it currently isn't any kids except Buddy Valastro's children who can make that claim. Buddy's four kids with his wife, Lisa, have been featured in the "Cake Boss" empire, making appearances on their dad's Food Network series as part of the family Carlo's Bakery operation. And while you may not have heard as much about the Cake Boss himself recently, there's online evidence of the Cake Kids growing up quickly and finding their own places in the world, even while keeping their places in the Valastro family line.

Though Buddy has undergone some career-altering challenges during his run, it hasn't deterred him from being as devoted a father as he is a baker and businessman. A bout with COVID-19 and an unexpected hand injury may have sidelined him for a while, but a sweet comeback to television with the 2023 premiere of "Buddy Valastro's Cake Dynasty" has also included more visibility for his children as they come into their own lives. This renewed interest in the Cake Boss and his clan presents the perfect opportunity to check in on the kids and see what Buddy's children have been up to, beyond growing faster than the family's super-popular cake-making company!

Imagine not only growing up surrounded by the family business, but doing so on television for the world to watch. Sounds like a pretty exciting gig that could also become a bit nerve-wracking. Buddy Valastro incorporated his kids into both Carlo's Bakery and episodes of his long-running "Cake Boss" series, but this was no star turn designed to bring out the diva side of Buddy's brood like those other reality TV families. Their regular chores have even included cleaning the bathroom, a move Buddy made to ensure that none of his offspring became too full of themselves. If anything will keep a kid from feeling high and mighty, scrubbing toilets is sure to do the trick.

None of that messy business was enough to deter the kids from dreaming of carrying on the tradition of the Valastro enterprise someday, a turn of events that is good news for the Valastro family and the future of Carlo's Bakery. But what are Buddy's kids going to do in the meantime? As it turns out, all four of these well-grounded children have full lives outside of the bakery.

Sofia, born in 2003, is the eldest Valastro kid and a college student making strides at the University of Delaware. She's gone further than her father as far as education, which ended for Buddy at age 17 when he left high school following his father's cancer diagnosis. Fortunately, Sofia appears to have a much easier situation and can take advantage of a college experience her successful dad wasn't able to have.

So what program of study does the daughter of a baking bigwig follow? Sofia's chosen degree is restaurant hospitality, building on her family's culinary heritage while formalizing her expertise with a forthcoming degree. Even with her studies in high gear, Sofia has been able to take part in her dad's new show to refresh the baking family's media presence. It sounds like a supremely busy time for a young college student whose devotion to her family is apparently baked into every aspect of her life. Time will tell what her role in the family business becomes once she finishes her education. Whatever it is, however, she'll have a solid base of knowledge to help take the enterprise into its next iteration.

What college-aged kid wouldn't love to already have real professional cred to add to their resume as they enter the adult world? Sofia has not only parlayed her time at the bakery into a focus of study, but she's also included her work experience on her LinkedIn profile, showing a work ethic and employment history that belies her youth. It turns out spending time in the kitchen with Dad decorating Easter cookies has been worth more than just fun memories with her proud father; it's also provided valuable experience Sofia has used to present herself as a capable and forward-thinking young adult ready to take on the world.

Armed with a degree when her studies are over, plus years of experience and a telegenic T.V. presence, it's hard to imagine Sofia will have difficulty forging her own path in the world. Carrying on her family's legacy is likely to be the icing on the cake for a young adult so clearly devoted to her clan and the culinary world. Meanwhile, she's a continuing presence in the bakery while being a solid big sister, showing off her considerable skills making cakes for her younger brothers Marcos and Carlo to celebrate their confirmation.

It's always a tenuous moment when you bring your significant other home to meet your parents. Will the grown-ups who raised you approve of your choices and encourage you to build a loving relationship with someone who means the world to you? Or will they see something you missed and warn you of coming heartbreak? Fortunately for Sofia Valastro, Buddy has found much to approve of with her boyfriend, fellow University of Delaware student Anthony Machion, making him feel like a part of the family with playful pranks and even a little good-natured scaring from the uncles at Anthony's expense.

When they're not studying up and attending classes, Sofia and Anthony appear to have fun together in their free time. Anthony frequently shares Instagram photos of the two at sporting events, beach days and formal occasions that find the young couple dressed to the nines. Buddy was pleased enough about his daughter finding someone special to spend time with to share with People how he feels about Anthony. "He's a really good kid, and he makes her happy," he said. What more could a father ask for in his daughter's sweetheart?

Currently, Sofia isn't the only college kid in the Valastro household. Buddy Jr. born in 2004, is on a collegiate adventure of his own at Syracuse University. Also known as Bartolo "Buddy" Valastro III, Buddy Jr. is carrying his father's name into the sphere of higher learning as a business major. An education like this coupled with his extensive practice in the kitchen could well equip Buddy Jr. with the skills needed to ensure a strong future for the family company.

College wasn't necessarily a done deal while Buddy Jr. was still in high school, however. On an episode of his mom Lisa's YouTube series "Cakehouse," the young Valastro expressed his concerns over choosing between college and going straight to work for his father's business. Buddy Jr. seemed equally enticed by both options, though his mom noted a definite preference for her son attending college before jumping into the "Cake Boss" empire. With Buddy Jr. currently ensconced in the college experience, it seems that either the draw of college or the wisdom of mom won out — or maybe both!

Even before starting at Syracuse University, Buddy Jr. had more on his weekly roster than just academics and baking. He was also captain of his Morristown-Beard High School varsity lacrosse team, inspiring proud dad Buddy to share photos on Instagram. The younger Valastro also put in work as part of both the varsity football and hockey teams. With so much athletic activity, it's a wonder he had time to help out in the family kitchen as much as he did.

Whether he was having fun, burning off energy, or just keeping fit playing three sports during his high school years, there's not much evidence that Buddy Jr. has carried this practice into his college career. It's easy to imagine that balancing a full class load, making appearances on his dad's baking show, and contributing to the family business while also continuing to hone his culinary chops is enough of a workload to take up the majority of his time. It's just another part of growing up ... only when you're a celebrity chef's son, you have quite a lot more people watching it happen.

When Buddy Jr. takes to the kitchen, his preference for baking falls right in with the family practice. As one of the heirs of the Carlo's Bakery empire, this bright young baker has honed his baking chops with his talented dad as his mentor. His father has described him to People as a determined young man; meanwhile, Buddy Jr.'s TikTok features a fun clip of the junior baker intently watching his father's technique to learn all he can from the master.

Buddy Sr. has also posted videos on his own TikTok account showing Buddy Jr. explaining his cupcake frosting technique, a prank clip that ends with Buddy Jr. eating the results of their shared session. Even with the pressure of helping to grow the Valastro enterprise in the midst of a college adventure, it's refreshing to see both Buddys taking time for fun in the kitchen and sharing it with their fans. But when it's time to get down to business, Buddy Jr. also shows his father's knack for baking magic.

Marco Valastro showed up on the scene in 2007 as Buddy's third child, making his first appearance on an early episode of "Cake Boss" featuring his second birthday. Though Marco has grown up as part of the baking entertainment hullabaloo, he's now a full-fledged teenager making the most of his time in high school. He's also made appearances on his mom's "Cakehouse" YouTube series, discussing his penchant for speaking his mind and explaining how it has sometimes landed him in detention. Marco explains his down-to-earth approach to making friends, as well as describing his love of activities shared with his dad like playing pool and enjoying family dinners.

As grounded as he seems, Marco's more glamorous moments are also a point of pride for Buddy. When prom time rolled around, Marco got all dressed up and hit the party like any other teen would. The difference was that his Cake Boss dad took to Instagram to share a photo of both Marco and brother Buddy Jr. readying for the event with a worldwide audience to show how impressed he was with his older boys.

Marco's varied interests take him beyond the stand mixer and cooling racks of the Carlo's Bakery kitchen. Showing talent as an athlete during his high school years, Marco has followed in his big brother's footsteps as a player on the Morristown-Beard Crimson High School football and lacrosse teams. His football positions included strong safety, wide receiver, and fullback, while he has also played as a lacrosse midfielder. With more than just baking to their names, the Valastros appear to have a growing sports legacy on their hands.

Marco's impressive skills on the lacrosse field have even earned him the honor of appearing on the Morristown-Beard Athletics Instagram account as a featured player, thanks to the milestone moment of scoring his first career goal in 2024. While Marco still has time left during his high school years to decide on the direction of his future, his abilities on the field may steer him toward something more sports-related rather than following in his older siblings' footsteps to help the Cake Boss company — but, of course, that's all speculative for now. With a 2025 graduation year, the second-youngest Valastro has a bit of time to discover where his true interests lie and decide where they might lead him.

So maybe not every heir to the Valastro empire is destined to stick to cake as a medium. Marco in particular shows interest in branching out into more savory fare, experimenting with dishes he shares with his family while — just maybe — practicing for his own cooking show someday. And this is no grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup kind of meal the Valastro son is cooking up. Instead, a 13-year-old Marco has prepared nothing less than filet mignon dressed in red wine sauce, a feat that would be impressive even for more seasoned chefs who don't happen to be high school freshmen.

In a delightful video clip shared on Buddy's Instagram account, Marco takes on the role of culinary instructor and host as he shares his methods for making a seared filet, which he himself refers to as "famous." He calls the red wine sauce "also famous," demonstrating considerable charm as he elaborates on what it takes for viewers to make this stunning dish for themselves. It's a winsome moment for a kid who's clearly grown up in the world of culinary television. Though the return of his family to the cake-oriented side of the kitchen includes Marco, perhaps there's a new, more savory-focused place in the restaurant industry waiting for him somewhere down the line.

Born in 2011, Carlo is the baby of the Valastro clan, as well as the youngest of Buddy's three sons. His pending arrival was a hot topic, called out in news media as Buddy and Lisa announced to People that their fourth child was on the way. Carlo expanded the Cake Boss family a little further, with a name that reflected the family's treasured Carlo's Bakery brand.

Being the youngest member of the Valastros, Carlo hasn't had quite as much exposure as his siblings to the "Cake Boss" universe. But having the same name as Carlo's Bakery itself has to be a bit of a mind-blowing experience. Though he makes occasional appearances in his dad's social media posts as part of family photos, his presence isn't as pronounced as that of his older brothers and sisters. Perhaps this is a form of protection implemented by his parents to keep their minor son's life balanced as he develops his own interests. Still, stepping into the kitchen to try his hand at cake preparation, as documented on Instagram by his proud dad on Carlo's 13^th birthday, is a sign that the newest Valastro could be headed for the business side of the kitchen someday, too.

Even if Carlo isn't at the age to jump into his own cake decorating endeavors, he's clearly been around enough sugary creations to know what the family business is all about. This youngster has developed both an eye and a palate for cakes that work. For instance, Carlo was all about a version of Carlo's Bakery Rainbow Cake being served at TGI Friday's. In a photo posted by Buddy to Instagram, the boy happily held up a box of the packaged mix to help promote the Valastro business while visiting the restaurant to show his support.

For Carlo's birthday, only the best cake creations will do, like the time Carlo's Bakery whipped up a full-figure Grogu cake referencing the ever-popular character from "The Mandalorian," courtesy of cake designer Ralph Attanasia, one of the wildly imaginative "Cake Boss" bakers. There's already photographic evidence of Carlo testing out his decorating skills, too, and there's bound to be more opportunities for him as the "Cake Dynasty" years unfold. Maybe he'll even start designing some master-level cakes of his own soon.